DUSHANBE, 24.05.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – Yesterday UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered 4.6 million doses of polio vaccine to Tajikistan. Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, UNICEF and WHO in Tajikistan attended the reception ceremony at the Dushanbe International Airport.

These vaccines will be used during the national polio immunization campaign planned for May-July 2021 to stop the circulation of poliovirus. In the course of the campaign, almost 1.4 million children under the age of six will be targeted to receive oral polio vaccine to strengthen the protection against poliomyelitis.

The vaccination campaign is led by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population of Tajikistan, and supported by WHO and UNICEF, within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

“UNICEF is working with partners to support local authorities to conduct important rounds of polio campaign to strengthen the immunity of the children against the poliovirus. The supplemental campaign will be accompanied by a social mobilization campaign to encourage communities to get their children vaccinated,” said Deputy Representative for UNICEF Tajikistan Zainab Al-Azzawi.

After a thorough investigation of poliomyelitis cases in Tajikistan, the government and health partners have been working hand-in-hand to prepare for and conduct supplemental immunization of children to prevent transmission of the virus. According to the decree of the government of Tajikistan, two rounds of polio vaccination campaign have been planned from May 31 through June 5 and from June 28 through July 3 respectively.

“There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented through vaccination. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life. Oral polio vaccine is safe and effective, its use enabled eradication of polio in most of the countries around the world. The use of oral polio vaccine in Tajikistan is crucial for preventing the virus transmission and protecting children from this crippling disease. WHO appreciates all the efforts made by the Tajik Government and health partners in preparation of the campaign and vaccine procurement and urges parents to vaccinate their children,” said WHO Representative in Tajikistan Victor Olsavszky.